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Market Commodity	By : Scienceteacher Category: Transformers > G1 > Round Robins Views: 11586 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Do not own the Transformers, am not making anything from this story.

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**Market Competition part 1b** by StSE, Universe G1

“So they dragged you two here too, huh?” Sharon dryly noted.

Daniel looked around the room. “Well, Sunstreaker promised Speed a race. And well, you know…”

Sharon grinned sarcastically at the yellow clone who was pacing back and forth, mumbling about racing ‘the big boys’. “Well, can’t wait to see what happens if they disappoint them like they did TC,” she snorted.

Looking over at the corner, Daniel frowned slightly as he saw the blue clone curled up in a ball, still sobbing slightly about ‘losing his car.’ “I gathered the Autobot suckered you two into getting inside him?” he asked as he walked over and put his arms around the sobbing clone.

“Yes, put a bow on it and the whole nine yards. Poor TC was so happy to get his first car. Fucking bastards,” Sharon snarled. She hated to see the innocent clone hurt like this. It pissed her off to no end!

Daniel pulled out a chair with his free hand and sat down, letting TC crumple in front of him and put his head in his lap. Stroking the clone’s helm, he nodded for his sister to sit down. “Well, we’re stuck here, might as well get comfortable. Any idea what they want from us?” he asked as she sat.

“Information, obviously,” Sharon snorted as she laid a hand on TC’s wing, rubbing her fingers on the smooth surface. She knew the sensory signals would start flying through his networks, maybe knock him out of this emotional state.

Her brother frowned. “It’s because the Decepticons designed them isn’t it?” he said as he nodded towards the agitated yellow clone.

“You got it,” she sighed.

The door opened to the expansive room, and several big mechs walked in and sat down across from the two humans. The two groups studied each other for a few moments.

“Where’s the race!?!? You promised me a fucking race!!!!” Speed shrieked as he jumped up on the table and ran up to face Sunstreaker. The little yellow clone looked hysterical as he hopped from foot-to-foot, angrily shaking his fist at the mech whom towered over him. “Where is it you motherfucker!?! Where! WHERE! WHERE?!” he ranted.

This caused the mechs to look at each other in bemusement, not sure how to react to this miniature twin of Drag Strip that was cussing Sunstreaker out.

“Speed, shut up and sit down!” Daniel barked as he patted the chair next to him.

“B…But.. He PROOOOOMMMMMMIIIIIIISSSSSEEEEDDDDD!!!!” Speed whined even as he obeyed the man’s order. He slammed his tail pipes hard into the seat, crossing his arms and glared daggers at the yellow Autobot.

Optimus cleared his throat, the clone’s behavior having caught him off guard. “Well, as you most likely know, I’m Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots,” he said as he introduced himself. “This is Perceptor, our chief science officer. Prowl, my second-in-command. Jazz, our communication’s specialist…”

TC sobbed harder, his head still hidden in Daniel’s lap. He began to mutter, “Liar, trickster….” And several other descriptives between his sobs, briefly interrupting the powerful red mech’s introductions. He shut up when Daniel tapped him on his helm.

Flustered, Prime paused before he finished his introductions. “and Sunstreaker,” he added with a nod towards the yellow mech.

“Who’s a total asshole, fucking liar, and slower than hell. Not to mention – ugly!” Speed insulted under his breath, as he continued to sulk in his seat next to Daniel while he still glared at the yellow mech.

“Why you little..” Sunstreaker started, not believing the little clone had called him ‘ugly’!

“Sunstreaker, shut up!” Optimus growled. He wasn’t happy. This meeting had obviously started on the wrong foot before it had even begun! He turned his optics back to the humans and clones. “We need some information Dr. Trakersly,” he started.

She stood up and set her hands down on the table top, glaring at the Autobots like they were some disorderly students in her classroom. “First of all, Prime, let’s get one thing straight. I’m not giving you anything – until you give our clones what your men promised!” With that she slammed her butt back down in the chair and glared at them.

“These Autobots could squish us! What are you doing?!” Daniel whispered behind his hand to her.

“Playin’ hardball,” she growled as she locked eyes with Optimus.

“You’ve got to be kidding! They’re just freagin’ clones!” Sunstreaker snarled as he smirked at Speed.

Sharon laughed at him, actually LAUGHED! “Get your meta out of your tailpipes. These clones are more than you’ll ever be! And you think you can drag me here, kidnap myself and my brother, emotionally devastate Speed and TC with your tricks and empty promises.. And you actually BELIEVE that you can get me to tell you freaks anything?!?” She jumped lightly up on the table and strolled up to Sunstreaker. Putting a finger up, she met his optics. “YOU promised Speed a race – and you’d better make good on that!” and then she strolled over to Jazz and pointed a finger at him. “YOU gave him a sports car – and you’d better make good on that!” Then she strolled up to Prime, giving him a haughty smirk. “When they make good on their promises to our boys, then I’ll talk with you,” she said in a firm tone.

Marching back over to her seat, she plopped her ass back down. TC sliding up on the chair next to her, his fingers curling around hers, as he gave Jazz an expectant look while he wiped the tears from his gray face plate.

The Autobots looked at each other in amazement. All of them realized that the professor’s mind was made up. There was no way she’d even consider talking, much less cooperating, until those two clones were ‘happy’.

“It would appear that we’ve underestimated the emotional programming of these clones, as well as your attachment to them,” Perceptor commented as his optics studied the two clones in total fascination. While the other Autobots might find these traits highly annoying, the scientist was fascinated, totally fascinated!

The black haired professor raised an eyebrow as she met the scientist’s gaze. Her natural humor getting the best of her.. “Yes, it is amazing how you logic-bound, yet technologically advanced beings seem to consistently underestimate the creativity and intelligence of us ‘primitive’ flesh creatures when we are ‘given’ a new ‘toy’ to play with – hmmmmm?” she purred.

“Obviously, you’ve had some personal dealings with our, shall we say, ‘competition’?” Prowl replied, his optic ridges raised at her choice of terminology when referring to her own species.. A terminology that seemed straight out of the Decepticons’ dictionary!

She just smirked and leaned back in her seat while she crossed her arms and gave them all a haughty look. “That’s for me to know, and you to find out – AFTER – our clones are given what they were promised,” she purred.

“Which is going to cost us a pretty penny,” Prowl whispered to Optimus as he glanced at Jazz. He silently thanked Primus that Sunstreaker hadn’t ‘given’ himself to the obnoxious Drag Strip clone. It was going to cost enough just buying a Porsche for the Thundercracker clone!

“Do it,” Optimus stated flatly. He knew the statistics. Knew how many of these Decepticon clones were already in the human population. They HAD to know what the Decepticons were planning. And now that he had met this professor, he knew without a doubt, that she was very aware of it.

Bumblebee came in then, several bags in his hand. “Um, we figured you two might be hungry,” he said as he set the KFC bags down in front of the humans.

Prowl silently slid out of the room to make arrangements to get the clones what they were promised. Sunstreaker and Jazz sliding out right behind him.

“Oh, cool! Did you get Dr Pepper?!? Did you! Did you!” TC said as he excited reached for the drinks. His pouting forgotten, since above all else – he LOVED to taste Dr. Pepper!

“Fuck you TC! I get the first taste!!” Speed yelled as he leaned over Daniel and grabbed one of the drinks first. Sticking the straw in, he slurped some into his mouth, setting the drink down as he rolled the compound around his mouth, letting his glossa get the full flavor. He made a big show of ‘Mmmmming’ in his throat as he rolled his optics back as if in sheer bliss of the taste in his mouth.

“Asshole,” TC insulted as he snagged the drink even before Speed had truly released his hand from it. Hurriedly taking a sip as if it might disappear into thin air, then he sat back, doing the exact same thing that the yellow clone was doing.

“Um, well, uh, I didn’t realize that you clones consumed human beverages,” Bumblebee stammered. He wasn’t quite sure what to make of the miniature Decepticon look-a-likes.

Perceptor and Optimus stared at the two clones in amazement. Neither one had anticipated that they would act so different from the mechs they had been cloned from. It was as if they were an altogether different ‘mech species’. Not something the mechs would ever have predicted!

----

“Ironhide will transport you to the dealership in town,” Prowl informed them as the red van pulled up and opened his doors. Several other Autobots transformed to follow the group.

Daniel put his arm across his sister’s shoulders. “Making sure we don’t ‘disappear’ it would seem,” he sarcastically chuckled. His eyes briefly meeting Prowl’s as he said it.

These humans were much, much more intelligent than they had given them credit for, Prowl dryly noted to himself. He suspected that the blond man was really going to put a dent in the Autobots’ account as he ‘helped’ the clone pick out a Porsche. Just something about the gleam in those hazel eyes told the officer that. With a slight sense of dread, he transformed and followed the caravan to the dealership.

“Hey TC, check out this 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S!” Daniel exclaimed, giving the Autobot Prowl a knowing smirk as the two clones raced up to the metallic blue car. It was one of the most expensive models on the lot, the man knew it, and the Autobot knew it.

“Hey, it’s blue just like me!” TC exclaimed in an excited voice as he ran his hands over its gleaming surface.

“Boy that’s got to be the DUMBEST reason I’ve ever heard to pick out a car!” Speed snickered. He opened the driver’s door and dove in, checking the speedometer. “Shit, its max is two hundred. That blows,” he snorted.

Prowl glanced at the other Autobots gathered around, all of them silently groaning inside. The price tag on this freagin’ car was outrageous! Especially to just give it to a slaggin’ Thundercracker clone! They shifted their feet slightly as they silently watched the clones and humans shop. The eager salesperson more than pleased to show his strange clients the most expensive models on the lot.

On the other hand, Perceptor was just fascinated as he studied the interactions between the two clones as well as clone to human. He noted many of the personality traits of the Decepticons they were cloned from, did indeed show up in their clones. TC wasn’t highly intelligent and tended to be something of a follower, always wanting to please his master. Whereas Speed racer seemed more independent, but highly fixated on speed and competition. And both of them were prone to egging on and insulting the other. Yes, so like the real Decepticons: Thundercracker and Drag Strip!

But the scientist noted that while the basic personality traits were similar that’s where the similarity ended. The two did not seem to have any violent inclinations. In fact, they were almost glued to their human master. And the attachment seemed to be much more than a simple program. It seemed to be a true emotional attachment. Which the humans seemed to reciprocate fully! Indeed, they treated the clones as equals. As if they were just another human!

Perceptor logged these facts into his meta. He couldn’t help but to work his glossa against his dental plates in anticipation of actually conversing at length about all this with the professor. He’d easily noticed that she studied him and the Autobots as closely as he studied her and the clones. Yes, Dr. Trakersly was an incredibly intelligent human! A possible intellectual equal to himself!

“Do you want this one TC?” Daniel purred. He’d led the clone to the highest priced Porsche on the showroom floor – on purpose of course. He smirked mischievously as he noticed Prowl shifting uneasily and the other Autobots giving each other glances of disbelief. This was a BLAST making the bastards pay for their trickery! He glanced at the red twin of Sunstreaker who had accompanied the group. A little sad that it hadn’t been one of those Lamborghini’s who’d ‘given’ themselves to TC. Now that would’ve been even better!!!

TC and Speed dove inside the car. Jabbering and arguing over different things inside it. Then they were out of it, racing around and lifting its hood, Speed telling TC different things about the various parts of its engine as he pointed to it.

“You’ve trained Speed to be quite the mechanic I see,” Sharon said to Daniel with a wink. She knew the Autobot scientist was locked on their every word. The fact that these clones could be taught knew things was probably blowing him away.

Daniel crossed his arms, watching his yellow clone with pride in his hazel eyes. “Yep, he’s turned into the best mechanic on the motocross circuit,” he bragged.

Speed heard his praise; he turned his head slightly, meeting his master’s eyes with a cocky smile on his face. “Yep, better than you now,” he quipped. But he swelled up slightly because of Daniel’s praise. And then he went back to his explanations of the computer core to TC.

Sharon snickered, hearing the slight snicker of a couple of the Autobots joining her. She patted her brother’s back. “Yep, the protegee’s outdoing the old man,” she chuckled.

He elbowed her. “Who you calling old?” he chuckled with an appraising glance at her hair. Which was starting to show the gray at the roots, since she hadn’t dyed it recently…

“I wannit! I WANNIT!” TC exclaimed as he danced up to them. He noticed Sharon nod towards that Autobot named Prowl. So without hesitation, he trotted up to the big mech and patted him on his leg armor. “I WANNIT I WANNIT I WANNIT I WANNIT!!!” he exclaimed excitedly. Looking up wasn’t good enough, so he activated his thrusters and popped up onto the mech’s shoulder armor without even asking. “THAT ONE! I WANNIT!!!” he exclaimed as he banged on the side of the mech’s helm and pointed down to the car that Speed was sitting on.

“Geeze, they aren’t intimidated by us in the least, are they?” Sideswipe snickered to Perceptor. He secretly snapped a digital of Prowl standing there, a scowl on his face, with a Thundercracker clone sitting on his shoulder and banging on his helm. It was truly a priceless pic! It’d make the PERFECT screensaver on the main computer!

Prowl sighed in disgust, he fought the urge to grab the little Thundercracker look-a-like and toss him off his shoulder. For if he ticked the clone off in the least, the damned professor wouldn’t talk! So with a look of resignation, he nodded to the salesman and recited one of the Autobots’ bank account information to him. Blessedly, this got the clone off him, for TC buzzed of his shoulder armor, landing back on the ground next to his master.

“Sharon! Look at my car! My very very own car!!! Isn’t it COOOOOLLLL?!?” he exclaimed in total bliss as he grabbed her hand and dragged her towards it. “Now I can take you on a date – right? PLLLLLLEEEEEAAAAASSSSEEEE,” he said and then pushed her against the side of the Porsche as he took her lips in a passionate kiss.

The really caused some raised optic ridges and awkward shuffling of feet amongst the watching mechs. For it was obvious that TC was in a true relationship with the human woman. This was very disconcerting to them, who viewed mech/organic interface as more of a form of bestiality, than a viable form of mech relationships.
----

“Hmmmm, so they really do enter true relationships with the humans?” Optimus whispered softly to Perceptor. His optics tracked the race in progress. The little yellow go-cart buzzing fearlessly amongst the tires of the larger mechs he was racing. They buzzed around Autobot City. His shrieks of blissful cackling and challenges of ‘kicking everyone’s tail pipes’ – floating through the breeze to the onlookers.

“It would seem that way. They do have programming that does force them to obey their registered owners, or those humans that their owners had told them to obey. But they also seem to have a major urge to actually please the humans, get their humans to like them, even love them. To get a word or look of praise from their human seems to make them feel ecstasy. Even if they shoot back a cocky reply, you can tell they’re preening,” Perceptor whispered back.

“And they can learn and develop independently of their programming as well?” Prime asked with raised optic ridges.

“I believe so. Drag Strip has no mechanical skills, and I do not believe the clones were programmed for such. Yet, Speed was reciting and explaining mechanical information to TC as they looked under the hood of that Porsche. He would appear to be as knowledgeable as the average human mechanic on the subject. His owner appears to have ‘taught’ him to be his mechanic,” Perceptor reported.

“So what you are saying, is that we can assume that these clones could possibly be as adaptable as their human owners are?” the big mech said with a sigh. This could turn out to be a very big headache for the Autobots if the Decepticons had ulterior purposes for their clones.

“And it has been confirmed that at least TC has weapons systems that he’s able to activate on command as well,” Perceptor added as he nodded his agreement to Prime’s conclusion.

“Hmmmm, wonder why ‘pleasure droids’ would need weapons systems?” Prowl whispered as he shot a knowing look to Prime.

“Obviously, the professor knows. She’s the one whom ordered TC to activate his when she realized they might be in danger. On the other hand, Speed didn’t even seem to think about protecting himself when he was threatened by Sunstreaker,” Perceptor reported.

Optimus rubbed his chin as he considered these various facts. They had themselves a big, big problem. Thousands of clones running around, all of them apparently equipped with weapons systems – but yet they didn’t activate them, nor even try to protect themselves unless directed to. Just what in Primus’s name were the Decepticons planning?!? He glanced to the two humans and blue clone standing some distance from him. His optics resting on the dark haired woman.. She was the key into unlocking this mystery…

-----

“Did you HAVE to order us to LET the little freager win?!?” Sunstreaker softly griped to Prowl as they followed behind the group of mechs, humans and clones back towards the meeting rooms. The voice of the little yellow clone drifted back to them. He was bragging and swaggering about how he’d beaten the ‘big boys’. Reciting every little detail of the race, over-and-over again, until every mech within audio range was ready to squash him under their feet.

“Well, at least we know why the other Decepticons never bother to help Drag Strip when he’s in trouble,” Prowl replied. He couldn’t help but smirk a bit though, for he knew that the little clone was actually capable of beating Sunstreaker with reasonable ease – but there’s no way in slag that the arrogant mech would ever admit it.

Sunstreaker grunted in agreement as he grudgingly followed along. His audios burning as Speed bragged AGAIN how he’d cut Sunstreaker off and ‘left him in his dust’.

They wandered into the meeting room and sat down. Dr. Trakersly nodding to Daniel to take the two clones with him as he left. He paused, his eyes showing his trepidation at leaving his sister alone in the room with the big mechs. But she motioned him away.

“I’m NOT leaving!” TC stated in a defiant tone of voice as he stood his ground.

Daniel grabbed his arm. “She said for you to come with me – so you come!” he ordered.

TC looked from Sharon to the big mechs sitting across from her and back again. He locked his thrusters in place. “No!” he snarled as he glared at Daniel.

“TC, go with them,” Sharon ordered with an understanding smile.

TC glared suspiciously at Jazz. He still considered the soft spoken mech as a liar whom he didn’t trust. And since all these big mechs were that one’s friends, he didn’t trust any of them! He was not about to leave his girlfriend alone with them! Shoving Daniel, he broke away and zoomed up in the air, hovering at optic level to Optimus Prime, right above Sharon. “I’m not leaving,” he snorted as he crossed his arms and glared suspiciously at the mechs.

Sharon stood up and looked up at him. She hadn’t expected him to act this protective of her! “I’ll be fine, you go with Daniel. That’s an order!” she barked.

“Nope. You’re MY girlfriend and I don’t trust these bastards!” TC shot back, still keeping his optics locked with Optimus’s.

“I give my word, Dr. Trakersly will not be in any danger,” Prime said as he stayed locked in a stare-down with the miniature Thundercracker. He was really amazed at the bravery these clones showed in the face of superior forces. The little mech seemed more than willing to take all of them all in defense of his human ‘girlfriend’. And the fact that he referred to her as that showed that he didn’t think of her as his master anymore, he thought of her as an equal now. Not a good development.

“I don’t care. Jazz lied, so you’ll lie,” TC flatly stated.

Sharon gave a sigh of disgust; she hadn’t really wanted the clones to know what she knew. But obviously TC felt he had to protect her. “Ok, TC, you can stay,” she said as she gave in.

“COOOLLLL! Can I use your car then?!” Speed asked hopefully as he hopped from foot-to-foot in total excitement.

TC threw him the key. And the happy blabbering of Speed as he and Daniel followed Sideswipe down the hall drifted back to the silent mechs. He was obviously intended to ‘take’ Daniel on a lunch ‘date’ now that he had ‘wheels’.

“Fascinating,” Perceptor commented as he logged this entire scene into his memory banks for future study.

TC lowered himself down, his optics still warily locked on Optimus. Taking the chair next to Sharon, he sat down and put an arm protectively over her shoulders.

“So, Dr. Trakersly, tell us what you know of the plans that the Decepticons have for them,” Prime stated. He figured he might as well lay out what the Autobots’ primary interest in her was, she was obviously too smart to beat around the bush and get the information.

She leaned back in her chair. “Why, to make a fortune,” she purred. But her eyes told him that she was more than aware of what he really wanted to know.

Optimus narrowed his optics as he studied the woman. She was going to make him work hard to get it out of her, was she? “Perhaps Swindle is, but you and I both know that the rest of the Decepticons have little use for the wealth,” he said.

“Perhaps they’ve changed their values? Perhaps they’ve realized it’s easier to conquer through financial means, hmmm?” Sharon purred back with a gleam in her brown eyes.

Oh, she knows what the cons are all about. Prime was certain of that. And he highly doubted that Megatron could quench his thirst for power – through buying it. No, that was not his style. Prime leaned back and put his hands behind his helm. This game of wits with this professor was going to be interesting. “If that were so, then why do the clones have weapons systems, hmmm? I doubt they need them to interface with you,” he smirked.

Oh, this mech was a lot more intelligent than that Swindle! Sharon grinned at him. She was really starting to enjoy this game. “Oh, they had a use for those. We’ve just made sure to delete it,” she purred back.

Prime arched his optic ridge at that statement. If the humans had deleted something from these clones which had to do with their weapons systems, then Megatron had definitely had a chaotic future ahead for the pleasure clones. “So, I’m assuming that the Decepticons remain unawares of this ‘minor deletion’?” he replied.

TC snorted then. The clone was not used to this round-a-bout talk that Sharon and this mech were engaging in. “My girlfriend fixed us you idiot! She found the horse and freagin’ erased it!” he bragged.

Sharon elbowed him to shutup. But the clone was tired of the stupid game. Tired of it!

Prowl locked optics with the Thundercracker clone. “So you are admitting that you were designed with a Trojan horse program?” he asked him directly.

TC nodded his optics gleaming in anger. “The fuckers were going to turn us into Zombies. But Sharon the best programmer in the world! She fixed us,” he bragged.

“Hmmmm, so you found out their plans?” Optimus asked the professor. He was highly impressed.

“And you’ve ‘updated’ the Trojan right out of them? Oh, that’s beautiful.. Just beautiful! Wish I could see the look on ‘ol Megatron’s face when he tries to initiate the program – and it doesn’t work!” Bluestreak snickered. Several other Autobots joined in.

Sharon couldn’t help but chuckle with them. But she had to also dig at their egos a bit. Their egos that they had to coerce a person into talking.. As if every human that did business with the Decepticons was an enemy of theirs. “And you know what?” she asked as she leaned forward on her elbows.

“What professor?” Prime asked.

“It would’ve been a hell of a lot cheaper for you – if you had just approached me in honesty,” she pointed out with a wink. “But thanks for the car,” she said with a smirk.

This caused the mechs to really start to snicker. But Prime and Prowl understood what she was trying to point out. They had thought she was working with the Decepticons in the support of the con cause. They had misjudged her terribly. And she had more than made them pay for that error. “Point taken, please accept my deepest apology,” Optimus said as he nodded his head in respect of her.
“But you’re NOT taking MY car back! Nope, no way, no how…” TC droned on, until Sharon elbowed him hard.

“It was our mistake that caused the confusion, the car is yours,” Optimus assured the little clone.

“So, now let’s discuss a business proposition,” Bluestreak started….

----

Soon, a company sprung up producing a product which competed with the Decepticon clones. Named: Human Interface Inc, it was secretly owned by a certain ‘brother-in-law’ of Tim’s. Clones of Autobots now began to hit the open market. But while they were extremely similar to the Decepticon version, there was one important difference – they didn’t need a programming upgrade before they left the distribution warehouse.

---

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